RE: [Zope] using ZPT to invoke an External Method and pass in var

4 Oct 2002


      That did it!

Thanks Chris
...
Try:
   <span tal:define="stateNumber python:33">
     The <span tal:replace="python:here.getStateName(stateNumber)" />
   </span>
And then comment the zopelab recipe.
...
-----Original Message-----
From: Tim Lynch [mailto:lynch@gould.mannlib.cornell.edu]
Sent: Friday, 4 October 2002 3:07 p.m.
To: zope@zope.org
Subject: [Zope] using ZPT to invoke an External Method and pass in
variables
I've been trying to get a page template to call an external method, passing
some
variables in the call.   I've been trying to follow an example I found on
ZopeLabs:
(http://www.zopelabs.com/cookbook/1008969252):
Submitted by: runyaga
   Last Edited: 2002-02-18 
   Category: Python(External Method)
---------------------------------------------------------------------
   Description:
   if you want to use any python libraries, or xmlrpclib you can do this 
   from python external methods. this is very simple.
   ---------------------------------------------------------------------
Source (Text): 
   #inside $ZOPE/Extensions
   #create a file, xmlrpc_example.py
   from xmlrpclib import Server
def getStateNameByNumber(number=1):
       """ python lib example """
       # simple test program (from the XML-RPC specification)
       # server = Server("http://localhost:8000") # local server
       server = Server("http://betty.userland.com")
       try:
           return server.examples.getStateName(number)
       except Error, v:
           raise v
#inside ZOPE create a External Method:
   #id: getStateName
   #module: xmlrpc_example
   #function: getStateNameByNumber
#then you can test that or call it from a Pagetemplate:
   <span tal:define="stateNumber python:33">
     The #<span tal:replace="stateNumber"/> is 
          <span tal:replace="python:getStateName(stateNumber)" />
   </span>
When I follow this as given, I get:
Error Type: NameError
Error Value: global name 'getStateName' is not defined
If I revise the ext. method call to:
           <span tal:replace="here/getStateName" />
the call succeeds (using the default value) but I can't figure
out how to pass in a value.  Anything I try that has a variable
in parentheses following the function name fails.
The external method is OK as I've tested it outside of zope.
(actually, the ext. method is not actually making an xml-rpc call
at all -- I'm just returning whatever number is passed in as a sring)
I've pored over the mail list archives, checked zopelabs for other
examples, to no avail.
I'm running Zope 2.60b1 if that makes any difference.
- Tim Lynch
 tlynch@nal.usda.gov